PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Wilson Arruna (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nelson Saulnier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nelson Saulnier has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Arruna
vs
Saulnier

185 cm
18
196 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

188 cm
21
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Wilson Arruna!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Nelson Saulnier!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Ian Loll and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saulnier shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Arruna sprawls well. Arruna wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Saulnier gets slowly back to his feet.
Arruna looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Saulnier swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Arruna shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Arruna showed some decent athleticism there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Arruna is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Saulnier is looking to improve his position.

Arruna is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Saulnier looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arruna stops Saulnier from getting back to his feet.
Saulnier is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Saulnier is trying to stand up here but Arruna is controlling him well.

Arruna is looking for a kimura but Saulnier is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Arruna to get the leverage.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Saulnier wants to clinch.
Saulnier is looking to clinch but Arruna is avoiding it.
Saulnier tries for a takedown but Arruna circles away easily

and Arruna counters with a nice double leg into side control. Saulnier won't be happy with that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saulnier is looking to regain half guard here but Arruna keeps moving and retains side control.
You can see the frustration on Saulnier's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Saulnier is pushing Arruna's head away, looking to escape. Arruna manages to hold on to the position though.
Saulnier wants to control but Arruna postures up.

Arruna is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Saulnier knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Saulnier looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Saulnier throws a right and a left that both miss.
Saulnier fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Saulnier is defended easily by Arruna.
Wilson Arruna has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nelson Saulnier.
Saulnier throws a right and a left that Arruna avoids nicely.
Saulnier shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Arruna as he jumps to the side.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Saulnier throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Arruna keeps the fight on the outside.
Saulnier throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Arruna.
Saulnier shoots in but no luck this time.
Arruna stuffs the takedown.
Saulnier tries for a takedown but Arruna sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Saulnier moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Nelson Saulnier seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Saulnier misses with a takedown attempt - Arruna sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Arruna scores a takedown into full mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wilson Arruna dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Arruna takes a head kick and keeps coming.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Arruna here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Saulnier fails with the takedown

and Arruna counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Saulnier's guard now.
Saulnier wants to sweep but no luck.
Arruna won't allow Saulnier to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Arruna stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Saulnier swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Saulnier had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Arruna defends it easily.

Arruna drops back looking for a leg! Saulnier is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Saulnier manages to kick Arruna off! Arruna jumps back into Saulnier's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Arruna thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Arruna drops back looking for a leg! Saulnier is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Saulnier manages to kick Arruna off! Arruna jumps back into Saulnier's guard.
Saulnier is trying to keep Arruna in close.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Saulnier fails with the takedown

so Arruna counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Saulnier is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Arruna defends well.
Arruna slips nicely into half guard.
Saulnier is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Saulnier tries to kick Arruna off but Arruna keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Arruna is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Saulnier sees it coming and defends easily.

Arruna is working for a kimura but Saulnier is defending it quite comfortably.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Saulnier actively working from the bottom here.
Saulnier is trying to stand.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Saulnier misses with an uppercut. Arruna saw that one coming.
Saulnier is trying hard to land a takedown here. Arruna sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Wilson Arruna has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nelson Saulnier.
Arruna slips a jab and a cross from Saulnier.
Saulnier fails to land with a series of punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Saulnier throws a sloppy head kick and Arruna moves out of range easily.
Nice body punch from Saulnier.
Saulnier swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Saulnier moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Saulnier misses with the combination.
Saulnier tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Saulnier fails with the takedown.
Saulnier misses with a body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wilson Arruna dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Arruna avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Saulnier lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Arruna circles away quickly and effectively.
A combination from Saulnier does no damage.
Saulnier fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Saulnier throws a nice looking combination but Arruna bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Arruna shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Arruna avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Arruna drops back looking for a leg! Saulnier is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Saulnier manages to kick Arruna off! Arruna jumps back into Saulnier's guard.

Arruna decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Saulnier, up you get!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saulnier throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Wilson Arruna is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Saulnier misses with a two punch combination.
Saulnier looks to land a combination but Arruna avoids it well.
Arruna dodges the punch combination from Saulnier.

Arruna drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Arruna drops back looking for a leg! Saulnier is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Saulnier manages to kick Arruna off! Arruna jumps back into Saulnier's guard.

Saulnier is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arruna is standing up over Saulnier. Saulnier looks to escape but Arruna dives into side control.

Arruna is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Saulnier has escaped the position, nice work there.
Saulnier tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Saulnier is trying to buck Arruna off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Arruna is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Saulnier knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Arruna tries for a kimura but Saulnier is defending well.
Saulnier tries to improve position but can't.
Arruna working away.
Wilson Arruna overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Saulnier is trying to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Saulnier misses with a head kick.
Saulnier pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nelson Saulnier has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Saulnier rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Arruna moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Saulnier fails in his attempt to clinch.

Arruna shoots in and bounces Saulnier off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Saulnier working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Arruna has passed into half guard!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Saulnier tries to get to full guard but Arruna has control of the leg.

And that's the end of the fight!
Wilson Arruna showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Arruna has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Wilson Arruna!